Seasonal Change
by Emerald Autumn
Summary: Jack Frost had a life before the Guardians. He might have been invisible to humans but the other seasonal spirits could see him, Mother Nature could see him. When Mother Nature invites the Guardians to the Seasonal Change, they get a little insight into the life of Jack Frost, outside his life as a Guardian.


**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own Rise of the Guardians, I'm not making money from this story.

 ** _Author's Note:_** So, if you're reading this again, this is the new and improved version of the original (by that I mean I edited it a bit). Also, it was pointed out to me about the seasons being wrong, well, I'm from Australia so my Autumn is March-May, that's why Easter is happening in Autumn in the story. Sorry if this is confusing.

I hope you enjoy.

After Pitch had been thoroughly defeated and slunk back into the shadows to lick his wounds, North had started insisting on regular meetings between the Guardians.

"Ve are not as connected as ve need to be," North had explained when some of the others, namely Bunny and Jack, had protested. "Ven vas last time ve had real meeting?"

That had stumped them all and, albeit reluctantly at first, they all agreed to meet once a month. Mostly they just talked, chatting amongst themselves about what they had been up to, or in the case of North and Bunny, argued about whose holiday was better.

One such meeting, held just before Summer was about to slip into Autumn, they had a visitor.

"Better make this a short one, mate," Bunny stated as soon as he walked through the door to the room North had designated the Meeting Room. He was painting one of his precious eggs with a delicate looking paintbrush. "Easter's in a few weeks."

North smirked and opened his mouth, no doubt to start the age-old argument about Christmas being better than Easter, but was interrupted when Tooth flew in with Sandy.

"Hey, North, Bunny," Tooth greeted them. Sandy waved as he drifted past and took his favorite seat by the fire.

"Ah, ve are almost ready to begin," North said in his booming, accented voice.

"Just waiting on Frostbite," Bunny muttered, his attention fixed on his egg.

A sudden shift in the atmosphere made every hair on the Pooka's body stand up and shiver. His ears shot up and he froze in the act of painting a purple polka dot on a blue egg. His nose twitched as he looked around, trying to figure out what had disturbed him. The others too, seemed to have felt it and they were looking around warily, even Sandy seemed a little perturbed by the strangeness in the room.

The heavy wooden door suddenly flew open and they all jumped to their feet, weapons out and ready to defend against the threat.

A woman stood in the doorway. She was neither tall nor short, neither thin nor fat. Simply put, she looked like an average human woman, physical stature wise at least. Her hair was coal black and her skin was the colour of Bunny's chocolate eggs. Her eyes were golden and gleaming like Sandy's dream sand and her smile was just as gentle as Tooth when she was interacting with her fairies. She wore a long robe of orange, yellow, blue and green. The colours swirled as if the fabric was alive, or stirred by a gentle breeze. As the Guardians watched the colours moved over the fabric in a lazy motion like the paint in Bunny's dye rivers.

"Who are you?" North asked cautiously. He could feel the power coming off the strange woman in effortless waves. There were plenty of entities out there in the world, but he had never met this one, and her unannounced appearance made him uneasy. It wasn't often an entity strayed into the home of another, they generally stuck to their own 'base of operations', so to speak.

The woman's gentle smile turned into a cheeky grin that reminded the Guardians of Jack. "I am not surprised you do not recognize me North," she said in a melodic voice that all but dripped with power, "We have never met in person. In fact, I have never met any of those in this room before now."

"Then how do you know us?" Bunny asked. His boomerangs were lowered but still in his hands. He wasn't sure what to make of this strange female.

"Just as you yourselves are known by many who have never met you, so too am I known to many whom I have never met," the woman said in her calm soft voice.

There was a pause as the Guardians processed her words.

"I'm sorry," Tooth fluttered about nervously, "But who are you?"

"I am Mother Nature," the woman replied calmly.

The Guardians all dropped their mouths open in shock. Bunny tucked his boomerangs away. North sheathed his swords. Tooth fluttered away and a question mark appeared above Sandy's head.

"It is an honour to meet you," North said after several moments of silence.

The woman, Mother Nature, inclined her head delicately.

"Why are you here?" Bunny asked. "I mean, why are you suddenly meeting with us now?"

"Ah, that has to do with the newest Guardian," Mother Nature replied calmly.

"Jack?" Tooth gaped, suddenly worried. Had Jack managed to tick off Mother Nature herself?

As if his name had summoned him, Jack Frost flew into the room with a flurry of snow and cold wind. He was his usual laughing and grinning self as he landed in the doorway and shut the door behind him.

"Hey, sorry I'm late I-" Jack stopped both his explanation and his path to his usual spot in the seat by the window when he spotted Mother Nature. The other Guardians watched with tense silence. They hadn't known the Winter sprite for long but they were all fiercely protective of the trickster. To North he was like the son he never had, he was like Sandy's grandchild (considering how old the fallen star was), he was Tooth's best friend and he was Bunny's annoying younger brother he couldn't live without.

"Mother," Jack said in a soft voice he rarely used and nodded his head respectfully.

"Jack," Mother Nature inclined her head and smiled warmly at the Winter sprite. The Guardians relaxed. Apparently, their protection wasn't needed for the moment.

Jack continued his intended path and sat in his traditional seat but rather than cracking jokes he looked completely serious as he stared at Mother Nature.

Several minutes of awkward silence passed before Tooth asked, "So, what were you saying before?"

"Ah," Mother Nature smiled gently, "I am here to invite you all to the Seasonal Change."

Jack's eyes bugged and his jaw dropped before he snapped it shut and blinked twice. He leant back in his chair and waited.

"What's the Seasonal Change?" Bunny asked. He had never heard of such a thing.

"The Seasonal Change is when the seasonal sprites come together to exchange their power over my elements," Mother Nature explained. "The Summer sprites will be giving elemental power over to the Autumn sprites."

"That's how it works?" Bunny asked, stunned. He turned to Jack who nodded.

"Why have we never heard about this?" Tooth asked. Sandy nodded his head and another question mark appeared over his head.

"Because you were never closely associated with a seasonal sprite," Mother Nature said, gesturing to Jack. "Jack, as a seasonal sprite, will be part of the ceremony. You four, as his friends, are invited to witness the occasion."

The older Guardians all looked at each other and then looked at Jack. The Guardian of Fun looked back at them curiously, waiting to hear their answer.

"Sounds great"

"I'd love to!"

"фантастический!" (Fantastic!)

Sandy beamed and gave two thumbs up.

Jack grinned with that familiar spark of Fun. Mother Nature inclined her head and smiled.

"I will see you all in two days time then," Mother Nature then turned and walked back out the door in the same dramatic fashion she had entered.

The Guardians all stared after her for a moment before turning to look at Jack. The teen was slouched in his habitual way with that familiar smirk on his face now that Mother Nature was gone. The Guardians all had questions now because surely the small amount that Mother Nature had explained couldn't be all of it.

"So," Jack asked casually, "What have you guys been up to?"

Bunny arched a brow at the frosty teenager who was pacing around the room like he had itchy feet. Jack couldn't seem to sit still for more than a moment or two. Bunny had long gotten over how amusing the twitchy spirit looked and was now somewhere between being annoyed and concerned.

"So, explain it to us again, Jack," Tooth urged, probably for lack of anything else to do.

It was two days since Mother Nature's visit and today was the last day of Summer. The other Guardians were waiting for Jack to lead them to the Seasonal Change. He had been fidgeting and restless ever since waking that morning and the Guardians were getting a little worried about the young sprite.

Jack sighed but didn't stop in his pacing. "Today, when my Winter markings start to appear, we hop in North's sleigh and travel to the Centre where you guys get to see the Seasonal Change for the first time."

"Vhat are ze markings you speak of, Jack?" North asked curiously.

"Just a bunch of patterns which appear on my skin four times a year. They signal it's time to travel to the Centre, which is where the Seasonal Change takes place," Jack explained, still walking all around the room with his head bowed, eyes on the floor. A frown marred his brow and the other Guardians were beginning to become worried about his obvious distress.

"Is it always this hard on you?" Tooth asked, concerned and brave enough to broach the topic of Jack's twitchiness.

Jack grunted and nodded but did not explain.

Bunny sighed, "You're gonna have to be a bit clearer, Frosty"

Jack spared them a glance then shrugged, "Yes, it is always this hard. I get anxious because I can feel it is almost time to move but I have to wait until the right moment otherwise I don't know where to go."

"So, you migrate like a goose?" Bunny asked, amused and not bothering to hide his smirk.

Jack shrugged but didn't rise to the bait, which had Bunny losing his mirth. If Jack was this unsettled that he didn't react to Bunny's teasing, then things were worse than they all thought.

"Who else is going to be there?" Tooth asked, grinning suddenly.

"All of the seasonal sprites, Mother Nature, you guys, maybe a few others," Jack waved a hand carelessly, "Not many sprites associate closely with those who aren't the same season."

"Bit elitist, eh?" Bunny joked, trying to get some sort of reaction out of Jack.

It seemed to work, a little too well.

Jack froze in the act of pacing and his face went slack, his eyes wide and mouth slightly parted. He slowly looked up but seemed to stare right through the Guardians with his pale eyes.

"I'm sorry mate," Bunny hastened to apologise, alarmed by Jack's sudden shift in personality. "I didn't mean anything by it."

Jack's eyes slid closed and suddenly he started to glow.

Spirals of blue light danced across Jack's skin in waving patterns. The Guardians watched in awe as the spirals settled into Jack's skin like glowing blue tattoos. They looked like snowflakes and icicles intertwined with leaves.

Jack opened his eyes after several minutes and grinned, his cheeky sparkle back.

"Time to go," he announced cheerfully and then bounced out of the room on the way to the reindeer-drawn sleigh.

The Guardians hastened after him and reached North's sleigh at the same time as Jack did. The white-haired teen hopped into the sleigh and waited, his skin still glowing faintly.

Bunny shuddered at the mere sight of what he was sure was an evil contraption. Pookas simply were _not_ meant for air travel.

North laughed in his deep booming baritone and climbed into his spot at the reins. Tooth and Sandy clambered aboard while Bunny gingerly climbed in and hunkered down.

The ride through the spiralling ice tunnel was just as terrifying for Bunny as it had been the first time. He only took a breath when they entered open air. And that was only so he wouldn't pass out and fall out of the sleigh as North sent his reindeer flying through the sky at terrifying speeds.

"Where to, Jack?" North called over his shoulder.

Jack grinned and launched himself off the sleigh, leaving a trail of blue light behind him as he flew to the front of the reindeer. The Guardians watched as Jack seemed to whisper something in the leader's ear and then he shot forward.

The reindeer lurched after him and even North called out in surprise. Apparently, he wasn't the one driving the sleigh anymore.

Bunny gripped onto the seat as tightly as his claws could manage. Sandy held his arms up; enjoying the wind and Tooth leant forward to talk to North.

Bunny focused on not throwing up his breakfast and cursed the cheeky little Winter spirit because he was convinced Jack was making the reindeer do those fast turns just to annoy Bunny.

He hoped fervently that it wouldn't take too long to get to wherever the Centre was.

Night had fallen by the time the sleigh found a place to land. Bunny leapt from the death trap with a woozy sigh and let himself relax. He flexed his muscles and winced at the pull. He had been too tense for too long in that sleigh.

Jack landed beside them and leant on his staff with a knowing smirk, "A little air sick, Bunny?"

"Rack off, Frostbite," Bunny growled.

Jack just snorted and then looked away. Bunny reluctantly followed his gaze and then his eyes widened upon seeing where they were.

The sleigh had landed on the uppermost rim of a deep bowl, almost like an amphitheatre with different levels of seats carved into it. In the deepest part of the bowl Bunny could just make out Mother Nature in her swirling dress. Around her were various glowing figures of orange, yellow, blue and green.

"Welcome to the Centre," Jack announced with pride. "The Change will be starting soon and you guys need to be down there with Mother Nature."

Jack led the way down into the depths of the Centre. He greeted other seasonal sprites and even hugged a few.

"Jack." Mother Nature greeted them all with a warm smile. "Guardians."

"Mother." Jack nodded at her and smiled. The other Guardians murmured greetings as well. The same power that had startled them all just a few days earlier was even stronger now and they felt somehow small.

"It is good to see you here," Mother Nature nodded to the Guardians. "Not many others have made it tonight."

The Guardians looked around the circle and spotted a few figures that weren't glowing. They couldn't see who the others were because of the shadows.

"So, what happens now?" Tooth asked quietly. It seemed wrong to speak loudly. Even North stifled the urge to use his normal tone.

Mother Nature smiled and then looked pointedly up at the rim of the Centre. Several blue glowing figures were floating into the air. They began moving like they were dancing in mid-air as they began to circle the rim.

Jack watched them and the Guardians watched Jack. He grinned suddenly and then started floating as well. This wasn't his usual flying where he launched himself into the air. It was as though a stronger force was pulling him off the ground.

Higher and higher he went, the Guardians watched him spin and dance in the air as he rose. More blue lights joined him as the winter sprites all began to circle the rim. They looked like blue fireflies all dancing and swirling in the air.

When all the blue figures were circling the rim, creating a constant stream of dazzling blue light, the green lights joined them, swirling amongst the blue in a magnificent display. The swarm of blue and green rose higher above the rim as they continued to dance.

Next came the yellow Summer sprites that, rather than join the blue and green of Winter and Spring, flew up through the middle of the swarm and above them, making their own dancing circle.

The Guardians all watched in awe as Mother Nature began to sing. Her voice was hauntingly musical and though the Guardians didn't understand the words they felt the power within them.

The sprites far above their heads began to sing as well. Bunny couldn't help wondering if he could hear Jack's voice with the Winter sprites. They all harmonised so perfectly it was hard for even Bunny's ears to tell who was who.

Finally, the orange Autumn sprites joined the swarm. Instead of singing along with the rest of the sprites however, they were creating their own tune.

They flew up through the blue and green swarm and then intertwined with the Summer sprites. Slowly the other sprites changed their song to match those of the Autumn spirits until only Mother Nature was singing the original tune.

With a serene look on her face, Mother Nature finished what the Guardians assumed was the final verse and then she too started singing the new song.

A surge of power made the Guardians all shiver as the Autumn sprites suddenly separated from the Summer sprites and began dancing above them, moving to their own rhythm.

The Summer sprites ducked down through the Winter and Spring swarm and took their former places within the Centre.

Next came the Spring sprites. Both the green and the yellow continued to glow but they were not as vibrant.

They all continued to sing as the Autumn sprites danced faster in their circle high above their heads.

Finally, the Winter spirits descended and the Guardians grinned at Jack in awe as he touched down near them. He was still singing but he winked at them before he looked back up.

The Autumn sprites danced faster and faster, their lights glowing brighter and brighter while the others slowly dulled until the last light in the Centre went out.

With a bright surge of orange light and power the Autumn sprites dispersed. They didn't come back down into the Centre, instead they scattered in all directions. They would head home to begin spreading the touch of Autumn to the world.

The singing finished and the sun peeked over the rim of the Centre to pour soft light over the tired sprites.

Mother Nature smiled warmly at her sprites as they all started on their way home. It was Autumn's time to shine now. The others could take the day off, so to speak, to recharge from the exchange of energy.

"Take him home with you, North," Mother Nature whispered to the Guardians. Jack was almost swaying on his feet, his eyes drooping. "He needs to rest."

The giant Russian man nodded and gently scooped Jack up into his arms. He cradled his adopted son as he made his way back to the sleigh.

They all piled in quietly, even Bunny didn't complain.

Jack was settled on the seat nest to Sandy and the fallen star sprinkled dream sand over the Winter sprite's head.

North whispered his command for home rather than shouting as he normally would have. He cast a look behind him at his adopted son and then smiled. Jack would never cease to surprise him.

That was what made him so much fun.


End file.
